Applicator



June 28, 1938. J. M. MCAULIFFE APPLICATOR Filed 001;. l, 1936 Patented June 28, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPLICATOR and Frank P. C. Davis Application October 1, 1936, Serial No. 103,619

1 Claim.

This invention relates to an improved applicator particularly designed for use in applying medicinal powders and seeks, among other objects, to provide a device adapted to expel a cloud of light and finely divided dust or powder directly into a cavity, passage or other part to be treated, whereby the powder will be evenly distributed without lumps or clots.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device wherein the packing of the powder as it takes position in the discharge tube of the device ready to be expelled, will be avoided, wherein the powder will be fed through a metering opening by gravity, and wherein spilling of the powder or the exposure thereof to contamination will be avoided.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device wherein the powder will be protected from the air, wherein the discharge tube of the device will be adapted to selectively receive any one of a number of entering tips of different shapes and sizes, and wherein a used tip may be readily removed and sterilized apart from the device to thus avoid the clotting of the powder by the introduction of moisture.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device which will be operative to discharge powder only when the device is inverted so that the use of the device will unavoidably involve the agitation of the powder by the inversion of the device.

A further and equally important object of the invention is to provide a device which may be used for applying medicinal liquids, wherein the liquid will be fed by gravity to the discharge tube of the device in drops, and wherein a special drop feeder will be provided to prevent the flooding of the discharge tube to thus waste the liquid when the device is inverted.

And the invention seeks, as a still further object, to provide a device which will be simple in construction and which may be feasibly manufactured and sold at low price.

Other and incidental objects of the invention will appear during the course of the following description and in the drawing which forms a part of this application,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved applicator.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view takenmedially through the device.

Figure 3 is a detail section showing the plug for the discharge tube.

In carrying the invention into effect, I employ a container In which may be of any suitable size and material and screwed over the container is a removable metal cap I I, a suitable gasket being interposed between the cap and container to exclude moisture.

Integral with or appropriately attached to the cap H is a discharge tube l2 which may be reduced at its forward extremity to provide a terminal l3 and formed through the wall of the cap and through said tube is a metering opening M.

Screwed into the discharge tube H2 at its rear end is a valve unit [5 of any approved construction but preferably having a stop flange it which abuts the tube, and freely mounted in the fitting is a ball check valve ll movable rearwardly to closed position and forwardly to open position.

Screwed over the rear end of the valve unit it is a soft removable bulb l8 of rubber which at its outer end is equipped with any suitable check valve l9 adapted to admit air to the bulb but which,'when the bulb is compressed manually, will close so that the indrawn air will be expelled past the valve ll through the tube 12.

Normally fitting in the terminal I3 of the discharge tube I2 is a removable plug 20 which will protect the medicament in the container N] from the air and connecting said plug with the cap I i is a suitable chain or the like. If desired, the use of the chain may be omitted.

Removably fitting over the terminal I3 of the tube I2 is an entering tip 2|, ovate in cross section. Only a single entering tip has been shown but it is to be understood that other entering tips of different sizes and shapes may be provided for selective use on the terminal I3 and, in this connection, it is to be noted that any one tip may be readily removed and sterilized apart from the tube l2 so that the introduction of moisture into the tube with consequent clotting of the powder, may be avoided.

It is to be noted that my device may be used to expel medicaments in both liquid and powder form. When it is to be used to expel a liquid medicament I employ a drop feeder which is removably fitted into the metering opening Hi. The drop feeder consists of a member having a cylindrical base 26 which is removably retained by friction in the opening M. A conical end wall 21 extends from the cylindrical base into the container I0 and an opening 28 is formed through said end wall at the apex thereof. This opening is of a size to admit liquid from the container I ll, when the device is inverted, into the discharge tube [2 drop by drop so that each time the bulb of the device is compressed, a drop of atomized liquid will be expelled through said tube onto the parts to be treated. Thus, the drop feeder will prevent flooding of the discharge tube.

As above pointed out the drop feeder is removably retained in the metering opening l4 and the user of the device may easily apply or remove this member, it being used when a liquid medicament is to be expelled from the discharge tube l2, and by unscrewing the container 10 from the discharge tube carried cap I I the metering opening M is easily accessible for either the application of the drop feeder member therein or its removal therefrom. It is apparent, therefore, that the user of the device may by employing the drop feeder vary the diameter of'the metering opening hi; it may either be entirely unobstructed for the discharge of powder by the device, or it may be varied to present a metering opening 28 for the discharge .of a liquid medicament from the container In.

In use, the container i is filled with medicament when the tube I2 is inserted into the cavity, passage or otherzpart to be treated. 'The device is then rotated to inverted position so that the container in is disposed above said tube when the medicament will fall, by gravity-through the opening 28 in the drop feeder into .said tube, By compressing the bulb l8,'a blast of air will then be expelled through the tube for expelling the medicament in an atomized state directly onto the parts which it is desired to treat. Should the medicament fail to fall throughthe opening M, the container I0 may be lightly tapped, when a new charge will be caused to enter the discharge tube and, if necessary, this operation may be repeated each time the bulb I8 is pressed. Thus, a predetermined amount of medicament will be measured for each compression of the bulb i8. After use, the device may be righted when, by compressing the bulb, the discharge tube may be cleared of any medicament remaining therein.

In connection with the foregoing it is to be noted that this device is inoperative unless inverted which creates the necessity of inverting the device for use. Consequently, the medicament within the container ID will, in the practical use of the device be caused to shift from one .end of the container to the other and thus will be agitated and thoroughly mixed before using. Hence, the user of the device by inverting -it=before the medicament can be expelled therefrom causes it to be Well shaken and stirred. This is essential in the use of certain liquid medicaments which must be well shaken before using.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A medical applicator, including a container, a dischargeitube, a-removable cap engaging the upper end of the container with the discharge tube permanently mounted thereon, the discharge tube and .the cap having complementary metering openings therethrough normally open and unobstructed to communicate with the container at the topthereof, whereby the applicator is 0perative only when inverted to dispose the container above the tube, and means for attachment to said discharge tube and cap comprising a drop feeder to meter a liquid drop by drop from the container, said drop feeder in attached operative position partially obstructing said openingsand-spaced from the walls of the container, and the drop feeder having a cylindrical base removably fitted in the complementary openings provided in the discharge tube and the cap, a conical portion depending from the drop feeder into the container formed at the apex thereof with an opening of a size to admit liquid from the container into said tube drop by drop, and means for expelling air through said discharge tube.

JOSEPH MANNING MCAULIFFE. 

